Meet Our Staff

 Kari has been wrestling with dogs and cats as a technician since 1990 and has been with Westside Veterinary clinic since August of 2007. She has a passion for adopting animals from rescues or shelters and giving them a great home. She’s currently putting a lot of her free time into making a completely edible landscape in her backyard that consists of currants, greens, peas, broccoli, asparagus, strawberries, cilantro, potatoes, and more! Kari loves to go hiking with her dog, Zip, and loves her hobby as a contra dancer and caller. When she needs to take a break and recharge Kari loves to visit Point Reyes National Seashore as well as Pagosa Springs. We would be lost without Kari’s loving smile here at Westside. 

Christine is a Certified Veterinary Technician who became a part of our team in March of 2020. She started her career in the veterinary field as a kennel kid when she was in highschool, and got her certification in January of 2019. She has lived in a number of different states and countries including Canada and Scotland! She is the self-proclaimed "chihuahua whisperer" and in her spare time she likes knitting, ceramics, snowboarding, and hiking (especially in the Grand Canyon). Christine loves providing quality care to pets, and enjoys working with our supportive and fun team at Westside!

 Mika was born and raised in Japan and moved to Arizona where she graduated from Northern Arizona University with a degree in Elementary Education and a minor in Japanese and Asian Studies. Although Mika has had the privilege of working alongside many talented educators and guiding hundreds of children toward success in the classroom, she has always dreamed of working with animals and decided to change career paths. Mika has worked as a vet assistant in emergency veterinary medicine in the past, and joined Westside Veterinary Clinic in July 2020. In her free time, she enjoys painting and sketching, watching movies, fishing, and traveling. She loves spending her time outdoors with her 3 dogs Leeloo, Ellie, and Brotty, and caring for her 40 chickens (and yes, they all have names!)

    A became a part of our family in April of 2021. They have previously interned with The Gentle Barn and rescues special needs animals. A currently has a deaf cattle dog, a neurodivergent poodle and two pit bulls with physical disabilities. They enjoy spending their free time by hiking and exploring new places with their dog, Tyson. They are multi-talented and are a licensed massage therapist, Reiki master teacher, animal communicator and death doula in training. Their favorite animal is a cow because cows are just giant puppies!

    Alicia was born and raised in Phoenix, Arizona and moved to Flagstaff in 2016 and joined our team in June of 2021. She can’t choose a favorite animal and loves them ALL because they each have such unique personalities. She has a small zoo of her own including a pacman frog, 2 cats, goldfish, betta fish, and a three-legged Russian hamster named Lt. Dan. In her spare time, Alicia loves to read, paint, and travel.

Angelina started working at Westside in April 2022. She has lived in Flagstaff her whole life, but has gone to school in Mesa, AZ. She graduated from Carrington College with a Veterinary Assistant Certificate. Her favorite animal is a dog because they are so affectionate and loyal. Angelina has two dogs of her own, a Bloodhound/Golden Retriever mix and a Chihuahua (both are very spoiled), and loves to go hiking with them. She enjoys camping and kayaking in her free time. Angelina hopes to swim with elephants one day!

Kendra comes to Flagstaff after living in Chandler, Arizona. We are excited she has joined our team as she has over ten years experience in the veterinary field. Kendra enjoys her work very much as she has worked at great animal hospitals with amazing team work. Kendra has a dog named Odie. He is a mini Golden Doodle. Odie knows lots of tricks and he loves the water! Her favorite animal is the dog because "they are great companions and so fun to play with". In Kendra's spare time she likes doing Yoga, being outside and exploring, scrapbooking and reading. She plays the flute, sings and also likes to sew! An interesting fact about Kendra is she lived in Uruguay for 18 months, has battled cancer and has been to five other countries! 

 Sam is originally from Illinois. She has been a veterinary technician since 2000, and has worked as a tech in Illinois, Wisconsin, Oregon, and Arizona, mostly at small animal practices, but she also has some large animal experience. Sam loves all kinds of animals, though cats have always been her favorite! Ever since she was a kid, she has wanted to hug and squeeze every cat she meets. At home she has three dogs, six cats, 12 chickens, and a horse. This is her very first horse, who retired from racing only 6 months ago. Sam looks forward to being able to ride through the forest with him in the future. In her spare time, Sam can usually be found outdoors - hiking, camping, riding horses, gardening, snowboarding, and paddle boarding, to name a few activities she enjoys. 

Eli was born in Laurens, Iowa and lived in Edgewood and Albuquerque as a teenager. He spent the last 10 years in Durango, Colorado and during some of that time he worked in shelter medicine. During that time Eli developed a passion for the medical side of animal welfare. Eli has two pups: Xena, an Australian Cattle Dog who was found as a puppy, and Coal, a six year old Australian Shepherd/   Pitbull that he adopted. Eli loves dogs  because they are so caring and affectionate! Eli likes to take short hikes with his dogs and exploring new places. He loves learning new things and he bakes bread from scratch!! Stop in and say hello to Eli! 

Aryiah is a veterinary technician with several years of experience in general practice, large animal, and orthopedics. Prior to moving into veterinary medicine, she gained animal experience as a groomer for 7 years. She comes to Flagstaff by way of California and New Mexico most recently, but has lived in various places around the country. At home, Aryiah has 2 Australian Shepherds and a corgi, and one cat. The older Aussie is a retired service dog, and the youngest Aussie is training to be a show/sport dog! Her favorite animal is the corvid species, because basically they are modern day dinosaurs! In her spare time, Aryiah will play video games, work on her book, crochet stuffed animals, and spend time with her family. She enjoys participating in cosplay and doing character makeup, including attending a character makeup convention! In her time as a groomer, Aryiah even had opportunities to meet a few celebrities! 

 Alexis was raised in Las Vegas and Mesa, and has joined the Westside team after moving to Flagstaff to get her pre-veterinary degree at NAU, followed eventually by vet school. Her veterinary background includes completing a 2 year veterinary assistant program, followed by working 2 years as a veterinary technician. At home, Alexis has 3 very smart and mischievous animals - 2 cats, Salem & Whiskey, and a pomsky mix named Kota. Her favorite animals include cats and raccoons, due to their independent and intelligent nature. Not to mention, they are adorable! In her spare time, Alexis enjoys exploring nature, playing games, swimming, window shopping, pet sitting, and hairdressing. She likes to travel - especially to theme parks - and has been to Disneyland twice in the last 3 years. She has also been ghost hunting in Jerome and San Diego many times! 

 Originally from Phoenix, Jay moved to Flagstaff 6 years ago to attend NAU, where she graduated with a bachelor's degree in biology. Starting out in shelter medicine, she then moved into emergency, and found she really loved that part of veterinary medicine. She has also worked in general practice and large animal. She loves cows, they are so sweet and amazing, and she loves spending time with all types of large animals, such as horses, and donkeys, including the 2 donkeys she owns! Jay aspires to one day operate a rescue ranch to help out these types of larger animals that need more support! In addition to the donkeys, she has 4 amazing and sweet cats, and one young german shepherd/wolf dog who is just full of trouble! As evidenced by her education and background in veterinary medicine, Jay loves all things science, and learning about new developments in the medical field. In her spare time, you can find Jay outside, where she enjoys all kinds of outdoor activities, such as hiking, camping and fishing! 

Maili comes to Westside with a strong interest in working with exotic animals. She aspires to be an avian and exotics veterinarian, and has spent time volunteering with exotic animals and experts through the Arizona Humane Society. At home, Maili has 2 cats - Vader, and Baby Yoda, who loves to play fetch with bottle caps, and a 7 year old bearded dragon named Norbert. Her favorite animals are lizards, she states they have big personalities, and the coolest ways of expressing emotion! 

Sydney is originally from Southern California, but has spent over a decade in the Valley. She moved to Flagstaff, and recently joined the Westside Veterinary Clinic team with a background that includes an externship and 2 years of education and training at EVIT. Sydney has two elderly dogs, and two great danes, (who are both big babies), 2 snakes, and 3 desert tortoises. She states that she has two favorite animals: dogs, because they are so loving and willing, and snakes because they are so majestic and carefree! Sydney enjoys arts and crafts, shooting with her boyfriend, visiting new places, and going on new adventures with her family. Some of her exciting adventures include being at Lake Powell during a big storm, fostering Great Danes for 5 years, and singing the National Anthem with a choir at a Diamondbacks game - twice!

Miah was born in Holland, MI, but has lived in Phoenix and Cave Creek/New River until relocating to Flagstaff. She has spent several years in veterinary clinics as both a receptionist, and 3 years as a veterinary technician. This could explain why she excels at multitasking, you may notice her accomplishing several things at once at the front desk! Miah has participated in wildlife rehabilitation, and has rehabbed and released a multitude of wildlife species, including raptors, squirrels, raccoons and javelina. Squirrels became her favorite animal while caring for some bottle fed babies during the time she spent rehabbing. She says they are so intelligent and fun! Miah is crafty, and is very capable at making and fixing things by hand. In her spare time, Miah enjoys relaxing, cooking/baking, and meandering through nature.

Emma was born in Salem, Oregon. Very interestingly, she grew up in Cambodia and comes to us from Phoenix. Emma came to Westside Veterinary with some prior vet experience, working for a vaccine clinic. Emma has a Maltipoo named Leo. He is her first small pet and he looks like a cat in the dark.

Her favorite animal is a Panda. They are unique, cuddly and insanely cute to look at.

 In her spare time she likes to cook, travel and go on long walks with Leo. 

Lindsey comes to Westside by way of Phoenix, and Florida. She completed a veterinary assistant program, and spent a year working as an assistant in the field. She is super passionate about the things she does, and the things she works towards! At home she has one dog, and one cat who has the loudest purr she has ever heard! Lindsey has a fondness for fluffy cows - they’re basically giant grass puppies! She enjoys learning new baking recipes, painting, reading, and spending time with her family, and while she has traveled, she has found that Disney has been the most exciting destination for her! 

Jenna was born in Southern California, but grew up in Mesa, eventually deciding to move to Flagstaff. She has extensive experience in veterinary client services, spending several years behind the front desk of specialty, emergency and general practices. She has a degree in communications, and is thrilled to be able to utilize those skills doing what she loves and working with animals! Jenna’s animal companions include a 6 year old pug/yorkie mix named Alexander Hamilton, a 10 month old chihuahua mix named Lucy, and two cats - Leonard and Pippin. Jenna’s favorite animal is the wolf. She appreciates how majestic they are, as well as the role they play in maintaining a healthy environment. In her spare time, Jenna enjoys playing volleyball and working out, doing yoga, acting and singing for the theater, playing video games, watching reality TV, and spending time with her husband and dogs. Jenna has traveled to Seoul, South Korea, and Paris, France, and looks forward to traveling more in the future! 

Korey is originally from California, and has spent the last seven years living just outside of Flagstaff in the Parks/Williams area. She has a solid background in customer service, the last 2 years of which have been in veterinary medicine, welcoming and caring for clients and patients. Living outside city limits is necessary for Korey; at home she has 3 horses, 5 chickens and 4 dogs! It’s a toss up for her favorite animal between mustangs and Australian Shepherds, likely due to her taking in and training two wild mustangs from the reservation. In her spare time, Korey can be found making soap from goat milk and spending time with her family and animals! 

Kloe Is from Boise, ID, and recently lived in Australia for a year! Kloe is currently a student at NAU, who has experience as a veterinary assistant, with her ultimate goal of becoming a veterinarian. During the year she spent studying abroad in Australia, she had the opportunity to snorkel with sharks! Having grown up with dogs all her life, Kloe says dogs are her favorite animal because of their generally happy nature. She has one dog at home, a black lab mix named Cal. He loves all types of balls, playing fetch, and he loves to jump like a bunny! Kloe likes to play with Cal, read, hike, and camp. 

 Elaine was raised here in Flagstaff, but spent the last 15 years in Tucson. She has returned to Flagstaff, and is excited for the next chapter at Westside! Elaine has 16 years of experience in the veterinary field as a technician, the last 10 of which she spent in zoo medicine at Reid Park Zoo. A couple of her favorite animals are African Lions, who definitely have an attitude, but also a lot of love to give, and any species of tortoise with their huge personalities! Her time at Reid Park Zoo provided many exciting opportunities, but building relationships with the animals was always very rewarding! At home, she has one family dog - a 3 year old Golden Retriever/Husky mix named Luna, and she is enough! In her spare time, Elaine enjoys spending time with her husband and daughter, reading, swimming, cooking and learning.